Boston Latin School - Liber Actorum Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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Joseph L. Powers, Headmaster Page Ten

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Contents Page ADMINISTRATION 8 THE CLASS OF 1945 . 18 ATHLETICS .... . 94 ORGANIZATIONS . 104

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TTlr. (Powers 111 essage You boys of the graduating class are fin- ishing your secondary schooling at a time of great uncertainty. Under normal conditions, you would go directly on to college and be- gin to make plans for your life-work. Now, the continuity of your education is one of the casualties of war. If physically sound, you will certainly be called to the armed services of your country, and there is likely to be an interval of two or more years before you can pick up again the studies which you had hoped to carry on. I know that each of you will accept this situation philosophically and in a patriotic spirit, realizing that the service of your country is your first and most important duty at this time. The carrying-on of war is a stupendous organized effort, and victory requires that every individual perform his allotted task to the best of his ability and with the utmost devotion to our cause. I am confident that the boys of this class will prove themselves in no way inferior in this respect to those Latin School boys who, in all our Country ' s wars, have sprung eagerly to her defence. My earnest advice at this time is that you settle your admission to college before you are called into the Service. Then, upon the restoration of peace, you will not have to worry about fulfilling admission require- ments. The government will assist you finan- cially in your college expenses, and most col- leges will treat you considerately in view of the interruption of your studies. I urge each of you to persist in your col- lege plans, not only for your own sakes but for the sake of the nation. With the return of peace, our nation will be faced with stag- gering problems: the reestablishment of civ- ilian industries, the reemployment of vet- erans, and the readjustment of war workers, the relations of capital and labor, our rela- tions with other nations, and many questions equally confusing. The country will need men with trained minds and broad vision. I do not mean that boys in college will have to solve these problems. But times passes quickly; and before you fully realize it, our leaders of today will be ready to pass their burdens on to you and your generation. It is your duty, to yourselves and to your coun- try, that you be prepared, mentally and spir- itually, to take up those burdens. Page Eleven